Lincolnshire Trading Standards have seized a large quantity of children’s dressing up costumes from an individual trading from home, selling online and sending products all over the UK.

The seizure follows an operation carried out on Wednesday, October 24, and the products concerned were found to be counterfeit.

There were more than 2,200 items in total which will now be sent for testing, however they are not expected to meet the relevant safety standards.

With the number of people starting their own small businesses on the rise, it is important to consider that it is not as simple as finding cheap products to import and sell at a healthy profit.

Senior Trading Standards Officer Chad Saratoon said: “In the run up to Halloween we see a lot of novelty items placed on the market in Lincolnshire.

“We consider matters of product safety very seriously and we work with manufacturers to detect counterfeit items on the market.

“Importers and distributors have obligations to check and ensure that the products they place on the market are safe and meet the required safety standards.

“Businesses also need to take steps to ensure that what they sell is a genuine product.

“We would urge consumers to take action if they see an item that they suspect is unsafe or fake by reporting it to Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06.”

• Lincolnshire Trading Standards would like to re-emphasise the importance of taking adequate precautions when purchasing these types of products and to consider using LED lights instead of candles and tea lights around your children, when they’re wearing these types of costumes.